Rope?

[Richard Bustens]

Hi all

how many ropes would you carry on a 70' boat.

 

what length and size would be the ideal?

 

And presumably each will want a loop splicing on at least one end?

[DaveR]

That all depends on the stowage factor and your cargo carying space !!

 

Seriously, this depends on where you will be cruising, rivers with fast flowing water then you will need two ropes each end. (and spares)

 

I found that a good Marine Chandlery away from the canals (I use Hartlepool Marine Supplies), do coils of rope at a good price mainly because they are dealing with fishermen.

 

I noticed on one thread someone paid about £30 + vat for a coil of 12/14mm polyprop. I paid £24 also got a coil of 6mm for the fenders etc and had change from £35. (Coils are 220m)

 

For the anchor I have 19mm polyprop attached to the chain.

 

I now have ropes enough (2 for'd, 2 aft and two from the roof) and a line from for'd which is about 55 feet long (boat is 40 feet). I take this across the roof and coil it to hand. This alows me to put out a quick mooring for'd (spring) and hold on to it whilst the other half is working bridges or locks.

 

I have spliced the mooring lines onto the boat but the other end is back spliced to keep things neat. I never did get into whipping

 

Stowing ropes for'd is not a problem, however aft is a pain. With a small trad stern I don't know whether to go for a couple of hooks from the taff rails to sling something underneath like a large peg bag from them to keep everything neat whilst under way. It would be more than embarrasing if I fould the prop on my own moorings.

 

Anyone any sugestions?

[nbtafelberg]

I only have two 15 metre ropes at either end, a great long thing on the anchor and a few spare shorter ropes on the roof for mooring.

[John Orentas]

Hi Richard.

 

Unlike yourself I am a thrifty sort of person and I hate spending money, in the case of mooring lines I get them free.

 

If you know someone who knows someone who is into rock climbing, and you ingratiate yourself sufficiently you will have an inexhaustible supply of rope, until your supplier like one of mine goes and falls off a cliff and subsequently takes up the alternative hobby of flower pressing. Clumsy oaf. Anyway these chaps buy new ropes every year and more frequently if they fall on them.

 

These ropes may at first sight seem a bit on the light side (1/2") but you soon develop a technique of double roping (four strands boat to bank) which is a method I would recommend anyway, they are easy to handle, have the right sort of stretch, soft to handle and they look good. For a 70 footer you may feel more comfortable with 15 or 20 mm lines.

 

Bow and stern lines, about 1.5 the length of boat for the bow a bit shorter for the stern, develop the technique of neatly coiling them and lay them neatly on the bow locker and cabin roof, (please don't hang the stern line on the tiller pin). You will need to tie a bowline loop at the boat end or splice a loop if you use traditional 3 strand rope.

 

Centre or breast lines are almost universal these days and are indispensable if you're short handed, make it a length such that it is just short of reaching the propeller if it goes into the water.

 

Anchor ropes should be a rugged synthetic 15 or 20 mm traditional, some people say they should not float but I have never seen the logic in that. You see some very strange recommendations for length, but I would say 100 ft is ample, plus a good length of chain of course.

 

You need spare /extra ropes for rivers, I like to carry a couple of heavy tow-ropes. Finally if you have a set of pretty ropes, have a scruffy set for mooring at your permanent location, I have made some dedicated ones, one with a loop at each end, saves a lot of time.

Edited February 27, 2005 by John Orentas

[Richard Martin]

John

 

Why do you say not to hang rear rope on tiller pin.

 

We are relatively new boat oweners and I have found hanging on the tiller pin avoids falling over ropes on the deck (cruiser stern).

[John Orentas]

Richard.

 

Ropes hanging from the tiller pin, bowler hats, waistcoats, spotted neckerchiefs, windlass holsters. A tankard hanging casually from the belt. Ancient traditions invented in 1976.

Edited February 27, 2005 by John Orentas

[Alan Saunders]

I have the coffee coloured soft polypropylene that imitates hemp. It's nice to handle and does not deteriorate in sunlight (UV).

 

I like to have spliced loops which are a tight fit on the dollies so that I can easily move the rope from one side to the other. They might pull off with sufficient vertical strain but I have had no problems. For a more secure attachment I turn the loop back on the rope so that it tightens under strain or use a clove hitch.

 

I do not back splice the free end as the thickening of the rope may cause it to jamb and a neat end in a synthetic rope is easily achieved with tape and heat. I may get around to whipping the ends some time.

 

The ropes only have to be long enough to reach the depth of the lock so 45 feet bow and stern should be adequate for both to be held by one person. The centre rope needs to reach the steerer plus enough for him to step off with it in hand - probably also 45 feet. 45 feet also happens to be a bit further than I can throw a rope.

 

I think suggestions of needing lines the length of the boat or more probably predate the use of the centre line. There is no need for bow and centre ropes to be long enough to foul the prop'. A hundred foot (1.5x70') of 15mm is a great lump to coil every time you use it. John's half inch climbing rope would be easier to handle in this sort of length.

 

If single-handed or the water is more than 20 or 30 feet deep additional ropes can be bent on to the spliced loops of the bow, stern or anchor rope. I use a sheet bend on the loop plus a half hitch for security. These ropes are also used as mooring springs.

 

Just my opinions. Should I learn better I will rush out and buy longer ropes - the ex-climbers I know are also boat owners.

 

Alan

How many ropes are there on a ship?

[ChrisPy]

important points with ropes:

 

1. make sure each piece has 2 ends, no more, no less.

2. ropes with only one end should be cut in the middle, that way you will have at least one piece with 2 ends, which is OK. If you still end up with a piece with only one end, discard it.

3. ropes with more than 2 ends (like 3 ends) are confusing and should again be cut into shorter lengths so that you have at least one piece with 2 ends. Any left-over pieces with only one end should be discarded.

4. ropes come in different sizes. Thick ropes should be labelled to distinguish them from thin ropes.

5. very thin ropes are called string and should never be used.

6. very very thin ropes are called thread and can be used for repairing sails. If you don't have any sails on your narrowboat, discard them.

7. ropes are made in various contrasting colours for very good reasons. Do not use blue ropes if you have green paintwork - blue and geeen should never be seen ....

Similarly orange ropes should never be used if your boat is painted red.

8. ropes that are hard and shiny and make clanking noises are called chains. Be careful - this can be confusing in the dark.

9. ropes that are hard but do not make clanking noises are made of wire and are called cables. These should never be confused with the wires (sometimes incorrectly called cables) used by sparky types (thick wires for power people and thin wires for signals people).

10. salty people like to splice ropes and things. Beware the mainbrace. When inexperienced people try to splice it they start to get giddy and fall about a bit.

 

 

............... sorry, waiting out my leave knowing that my boat won't be delivered 'til I've gone back to work is a bit like watching paint dry on a cold wet day, or waiting for the crane that never comes ...........

[Amicus]

A cable is 100 fathoms, shirly?

[DaveR]

Not quite,

 

A nautical mile is 6,080 feet, a cable being one tenth is therefore 608 feet, some 8 feet longer than 100 fathoms.

 

Don't forget a shot is 15 fathoms.

 

And they say size doesn't matter.

 

Any way fathom it out.

[Richard Bustens]

Are you lot f****ng real.

Perhaps i should have said i want hemp rope .... What colour should i paint the figging boat.

 

[Andy Woods]

If you go to Anchor Surplus (the ex army suppliers) they have some fabulous green rope that comes complete with a strong clip on one end all for the princely some of about twenty quid. I have two of these on my 70ft boat and they cope nicely with every situation I have encountered.

Loved the 'ancient traditions' John!

Regards

Andy.

[bottle]

A cable is 100 fathoms, shirly?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

whose shirly? are they a new member I've not noticed

[DHutch]

Also, we have two sets of warps (the rope at the front and back)

 

- A clean, soft pair, for summer. (about 10meters each i think)

- And dirty old stiff ones with a long splice in the middle, for winter.

 

Then a centre rope, (about 20m)

And a handfull of "usefull" ropes that never get used.

 

daniel

[ChrisPy]

whose shirly? are they a new member I've not noticed

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

yeah whose shirly are you anyway?

 

dear bottle, you really need to use a spell and grammar checker before you can afford to cast nasturtiums on the waters ..........

[Alastair]

Fast flowing rivers - you should have 4 ropes; bow, stern and 2 springs. Even on canals, using springs will make a big difference to how much you bump about when another boat passes.

[Richard Bustens]

So the common consensus is 2 long at least 80'and 2 medium say 40' and 2 short say 15' YES

 

I was going to use 12mm hemp do we all agree?

Edited February 28, 2005 by Richard Bustens

[John Orentas]

Richard.

 

You only need one bow and one stern rope, given a free choice I would go for 15 or 18mm ropes for a 70 foot boat. Plus centre line and say 200 ft of spare.

[Alastair]

If he is going on rivers, he should take springs.

[awatsonbcp]

pardon me for asking but what is a spring ?

 

alan (the ignoramus)

[DHutch]

I wouldnt use hemp, modern nylon ropes are much softer and just as strong and long lasting.

 

- also, i agree about springs, usually we use the centre rope as a spring, and one of our other ropes as a second when we moor up for longer times.

 

 

daneil

[bottle]

pardon me for asking but what is a spring ?

 

alan (the ignoramus)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Alan

 

you are not ignorant, we all had to ask in the beginning.

 

A spring is another rope to the bank. "Normally" when tying up on a canal only two ropes are used one at the front (bow) and one at the rear (stern).

The bow one goes forward and the stern one goes backwards from the boat.

 

A springer is another rope, sometimes attached to the same point, that goes in the opposite direction i.e. the bow goes back and the stern goes fowared so forming an equilateral triangle with bank. /-\ this helps to stop the boat moving about when other boats pass. You can use one or two.

[timboharticus]

I find one of those plastic crates useful for storing spare rope and have some chains hanging near the rear hatch which I use for mooring to piles (ouch!)

[ChrisPy]

Are you lot f****ng real.

Perhaps i should have said i want hemp rope .... What colour should i paint the figging boat.

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

rather limits you to subtle autumnal shades, Richard, unless you allow your nice (horrible?) hemp to absorb all that oil and grime. Then shades of grey, silver and black are preferred.

Edited March 1, 2005 by chris polley

[Guest]

Hope I'm not too late and into a dead thread (help Jon?).... this one is mostly about "use of ropes" and "length of ropes". All very informative and usefull, but, being a beginner, I need to know about "type" of rope as well.

Homework on the net tells me about the differences between man-made fibre and natural fibre, and about different construction methods.

It would be really usefull to know what you guys use, and why,

and,

what you dont use, and why.